The objectives for the project include a) a determination of the mechanisms involved in the biogenesis of adenovirus mRNA and b) the elucidation of the mechanisms controlling early adenovirus gene expression. Areas which will be studied include the role of poly(A) in the splicing, transport, and stability of mRNA as well as the possible function of internal RNA methylations in these events. The mechanisms by which poly(A) site selection and RNA splicing regulate gene expression will be studied using in vitro systems. Finally, in vitro transcription will be employed to investigate the regulation of the adenovirus early region 4 transcription unit.